Non-Residential Building Construction went up by 43 percent

1. Building permit applications nationwide totaled 24,337 during the first quarter of 2002, representing a moderate increase of 16.3 percent compared with 20,934 applications recorded over the same period of 2001.

2. An increase in applications over the same period of last year was observed for both residential and non-residential building construction. Residential building construction went up by 17.2 percent to 17,025 from 14,524. Non-residential building constructions also increased substantially by 43.0 percent to 3,045 from 2,129. On the other hand, combined applications for additions, alterations and repairs fell slightly by 0.3 percent to 4,267 from 4,281. Figure 1 shows the comparison of the number of building permit applications by type of building for the first quarter of 2002 and 2001.

   

3. Among the provinces in the country, four (4) provinces recorded building permit applications more than a thousand mark namely: Batangas (1,995), Cavite (1,810), Laguna (1,770) and Cebu (1,106).Figure 2 shows the regional distribution of building permit applications for the first quarter of 2002.

   

   Value of Construction jumped by 56 percent to P33.7 billion

4. Total value of construction during the first quarter of 2002 significantly increased by 56.7 percent reaching P33.7 billion from P21.5 billion recorded in the same period of last year, brought about by the increase in value of non-residential construction.

5. Value of construction for residential buildings was P9.1 billion, posting a slight increase of 11.4 percent from P8.1 billion compared to the same period of 2001. On the other hand, value of construction for non-residential building remarkably went up by 106.4 percent to P22.1 billion from P10.7 billion over the same period of last year. Combined value for additions, alterations and repairs, on the other hand, contracted by 4.5 percent registering to P2.5 billion from P2.7 billion during the same period of 2001. Figure 3 compares the aggregate value of construction by type of building for the first quarter of 2002 and 2001.

   

6. Regionwise, value of construction in NCR remained highest at P21.1 billion, accounting for 62.5 percent share of the total. Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon consistently remained as second and third placer respectively with P5.2 billion or 15.3 percent and P1.7 billion or 5.0 percent in terms of share to the total value of construction.

   Average Cost per Square Meter of Residential Building Construction was P5,130

7. Total value for residential building construction was estimated at P9.1 billion with a total floor area of 1.768 million square meters or an average cost per square meter of P5,130, reflecting a 1.9 percent increase in average cost per square meter compared to the same period of last year.

8. More than three-quarters, or 87.6 percent, of the total applications for residential building was for single type residential unit with 14,914 applications and aggregate value of P7.6 billion. Apartment/accessoria and duplex/quadruplex numbered 1,312 applications or 7.7 percent and 412 applications or 2.4 percent share of the total, respectively. Other residential building constructions, consisting of school or company staff houses, living quarters for drivers and maids, guard houses, had the least number with 387 applications or 2.3 percent share to total. Figure 4 shows the comparison of number and value by type of residential building construction during the first quarter of 2002.

   

   Average Cost per Square Meter of Non-Residential Building Construction was P12,791

9. Total value for non-residential building construction reached P22.1 billion during the first quarter of 2002 with a floor area of 1.728 million square meters. This translates to an average cost of P12,791 per square meter or 76.0 percent higher compared to the average cost of P7,268 per square meter during the same period of 2001.

10. Commercial type of non-residential building construction topped all other types of non-residential construction with applications of 1,976 or 64.9 percent of the total non-residential building applications and an estimated value of P18.9 billion. Institutional and industrial buildings registered 437 applications valued at P1.8 billion and 338 applications valued at P1.1 billion, respectively. Figure 5 shows the number and value of non-residential building construction during the first quarter of 2002.